Hi, this is my first post. Been reading all of your posts for a long while. Now I need some ideas as to what is the best way to haul or transport nice restored pumps. A new car cruise started up just a few miles from my house. Has anyone out there ever set up a special trailer for displaying pumps at shows? Such as a hinged base on pump that allows it to lay down during travels, then stand it up for display. How about the same for lubester displays? What do you cushion the pumps with when laying down? Thanks in advance for your help. Sam

I don`t know why it wouldn`t work. There used to be a guy in Central Florida area that had an old teardrop trailer all done up as a diner inside, and towed it around to shows.
If you want a pump that lays down when travelling, I would think you`d want to weld a heavy duty hinge into the framework of the floor though, something that would withstand the weight of a pump. (Just the frame & skins of a pump are still pretty heavy.)If it were me, I`d buy a bare frame of a utility trailer and build it specifically for the purpose....may be easier than trying to adapt a trailer that`s already built.

MUCH easier to transport & display standing up inside an enclosed trailer.
db

My initial thought too....stationary in an enclosed trailer. But it would have to be a real TALL one, depending on what type pumps you`d want to display. Considering the height of a visible with a globe on it, it may be cumbersome. A member of Florida flywheelers has a trailer in which the sides open up to form a canopy. Inside he has a steam engine, and a belt driven shaft mounted to the roof. Off that shaft, other belts run saws, drills, pumps, and grinders. It`s an awesome display. The point is, the options of building a display trailer are only limited by the imagination!

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Too many toys, not enough play-time!

I have hauled hundereds of restored pumps over the last 20 years. A few years ago we began building "crates" out of osb and plywood. We have since refined them where we can make 2 crates from one piece of osb 4x8. This facilitates an easy way to pad the pumps and support them when loading and also for easy sliding into a truck bed. We also set the pumps in sideways in the crate(on the pumps side) which allows for two pumps to go into the bed of a standard pickup. We have found this to be a great selling point as well. Rich B

Dave Bowman here in Calif. built his own enclosed trailer. Has 10'+/- inside height for standing standard visibles [tall tens have to be laid down or disassembled].
db

Sam...First, welcome to a really good site that has lots of good info on petro....About how to haul restored pumps...I have been hauling restored pumps to shows for several years and I gotta tel ya,,,I never, never lay them down (unless its a visible)..I rent a open-top U-haul (bout $25 a day) and wrap them in blankets (1 or 2). Tie the blankets in place with light rope or line, and strap them to the side rail of the trailer,. Be sure and put a carpet sample or foam between the pump and the trailer side for padding, Use a good ratchet-type strap to prevent from slipping...Also, use some padding betwen the strap and the pump to prevent scraping or denting the pumps...I have had good luck hauling restored pumps this way....hope this helps...tks Warren

A visible could be displayed standing up, but you can take off the cylinder and top if the tie-rods or center pipes are left looose. That would give lower trailer height. The roof could fold up and be the top half of a wall behind the visible.. just a thought..

The part that`s going to make it difficult is the ease of set-up once at the show. It would have to be easy to set up for display without a lot of help, or tools.
To simply flip a panel up & lock in place with cotter pins would probably be ideal, as with tipping the pump up on a hinge for display, then laying it back down for travel.
What ever you come up with Sam....we would LOVE to see pictures of the progress!

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Too many toys, not enough play-time!

[This message has been edited by oldgto (edited 12-29-2006).]

Thanks guys for the ideas. Now you've really got the gears turning in my head (meter!)My dream would be to have a display showing pumps from every decade; early curb pumps up through 70's (about the last mechanical meters).I have a restored pump for each of these decades, but not large enough trailer!I think I'll start out small with a 30's to 50's display. I'm older & retired and don't particularly like lifting heavy beasts. (I've had lower back problems all my life, but the problems started when I got into this hobby 35 years ago). Surely couldn't have anything to do with it, could it?) Sam

I usually don't transport a pump by laying it down but when a pickup has a conopy on it you don't have much choice. All my pumps that I do have a 1/2 plywood base on them about 1/4 wider than the base. I then attach a pallet using 2X2 about 4 inches longer on all sides. If the globe base is attached directly to the top by screws I cut out two 3/4 plywood circles, attach them together, then drill out the three screw holes for the globe, then put the screw in to hold the piece in place. I then build another pallet the same size and attach it to the top. Using strips of 1/2 plywood set at angles to attach the top to the bottom. I then use duck tape and attach the very small bubble rap to it forming a long string. I wrap this around all the pump to secure the top and bottom of the doors. This keeps the doors from vibratiang and chipping the paint. Do not attach the duck tape to the pump skin. I have transported several pumps this way and it has worked so far. Hope all this has made sence if not I'll go have another beer. Richard

I`d also suggest, if you use an enclosed trailer, the walls could be painted with a mural for a backdrop. Or have a photo blown up to wall-paper size at a photo studio. Each era could have a different scene behind each of the different pumps.

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Too many toys, not enough play-time!